A little bit unexpected!
by TwisterF5
Summary: Accidently blowing up the entire south wing of Kerberos, the largest marine base in the North-Blue, sends three girls on an unexpected adventure. Will they survive in a world unlike their own? Straw Hats included!
1. Chapter 1, White Sand

**AN: Now then, I hope that someone will actually read this authors note. This is my first fanfiction ever, so it might be good, moderate or down to earth crappy! I respect all reviewers (well, not flamers), but if someone criticize my writing I thank you for actually taking your time to read my story and to comment. That way I can learn! Nice little comments are always fun to get, but hey, it's all up to you ;)**

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A person can never really know when to expect the unexpected. For three girls the quite unexpected sun managed to produce these exact thoughts. Long had they been friends, since early childhood. Now, two at the age of 16 and one at 17, they still held close together and entertained their lives with a touch of craziness as they felt bored or needed a break from the never-ending routines called life.

The burning star stung hard and mercilessly upon their unfortunately pale, Norwegian skin. There had never been such a heat wave in the northern part of Europe, not to mention on the ever so gloomy south-west coast of Norway. No clouds were there to shield them from blazing heat and neither did they feel a gust of soothing wind upon their faces. Even the shadows were currently in a cruel mood as they hid quietly from whomever who sought them for cover.

As the three girls were walking down their neighbourhood, a long agonizing groan was released from the third one of the party.

"Why, in our lifetime and generation, did Norway decide to suddenly turn the heater up? When would anyone in this country consider getting a damned air-conditioner!" said a bright, purple haired girl.

The colour was given glossy shine as the sun was nicely roasting her head. Her eyes were currently hidden by a pair of solid, black sunglasses, desperately trying to cover her face. If a person looked closely with a hint of imagination, no doubt one would spot some steam rising from her head and continuing its journey towards the azure sky. Her hand flew towards the arm of a slightly taller girl whose skin had already caught a red tint.

As she was answered with silence another painfully long groan was let out. Slowly she sunk down to the ground. Soon after she was joined by her two younger friends, who patted her shoulder with the deepest sympathy as they all suffered from the heat.

"Aw no, my skin is sunburnt. How did I not notice? I shouldn't even get a sunburn, I'm quarter Mexican!" said the rather slim girl whose arm was still practically embraced by her older friend.

"Katarina, I'm going to need that arm and I refuse to chew it off, you'll have to let go sooner or later!" she said towards the exhausted girl on the ground. She let the free hand slide over her forehead in hope of removing the heavy layer of sweat. Her short hair that once proudly defied gravity itself now hung like a lifeless plant.

Katarina let go of her friend's arm, and as she turned her head upwards she could not resist letting out a hoarse laugh. "Ehehe, I think your hair just got dehydrated." _Jeez, even my humour is drying out._

Miriam let out something similar to a yelp as she frantically began to pamper her the dead plant. Eli, the one who had remained silent, gave out a sigh as she looked towards the sky. Her bright blue eyes squinted as the sun shone brightly. Silently, almost desperately, she wished they were on a nice, cooling beach listening to seagulls cry to the waves and winds. _This is bad! I might just start praying! Oh well, I'm normally not a praying person, but if you can hear me, save me superman! _

When silence fell between the three friends Katarina's eyes went towards the conveniently placed forest. Fond childhood memories came to mind as she gazed at the trees and the remains of a small tipi built by them many years ago. She found it hard to believe how they avoided getting lost the countless times they went exploring. The green lushness spread deep and all she could see was trees, trees, a beach and more trees. _Wait, a beach? _

"Uh, guys…" she muttered out quietly. Miriam and Eli snapped out of their thoughts and turned their attention towards their friend. Katarina's face seemed to slacken and her eyes, removed of sunglasses, were spread widely in disbelief as she slowly pointed her finger towards the outskirts of the forest. Eli let out a gasp, thinking about her wish from before. _Superman… if I ever doubted you, I'm sorry! _

"Ok, that's it!" Miriam cried out, "I'm going inside! The heat is apparently messing with my mind. There is no way I'm hallucinating about a magical beach by the refreshing, blue… sea…" she fell silent. With new found energy she shot up and ran towards the inviting ocean. With no time to process what was going on the two other girls followed her with hasty steps. Eli frowned as she looked towards Miriam. "I swear that kid constantly gets some kind of sugar rush, how else would you explain her running in this blasted heat?"

Katarina only nodded vaguely as she put her shades back on and began to speed up. "I have no idea! But frankly, I don't give a damn."

Eli laughed as she quickly matched Katarina's pace and soon enough they had their shoes off, enjoying the feeling of cool sand sneaking in between their toes. Not too far away a seagull cried as if it was calling for the winds. Out of nowhere a breeze so wonderful and relieving with the taste of salt brushed their faces. _Like in my wish..._ Eli thought to herself.

"Katarina, I wished for this! I freaking wished for this in my mind, and here we are... or is this just a dream?" _I must be going crazy! Oh well, losing your mind is more like a promise when hanging out with these two!_

With a confused expression, Katarina turned her black shades towards her friend "Wished... dream?" She reached a hand towards Eli and gave her a solid smack on the head.

"Ouch! What was that for?" Eli wined. Katarina gave her a snigger and faced the sea once more. "Not a dream!"

Nearby Miriam was preparing to jump in the ocean from a cliff. She hit the water with a nice 'kabloosh'.

When her head broke the surface she yelled towards her two friends. "Maybe this is a place where all our wishes become reality? Oh, like Peter Pan or... no that's not it... gah, you get the picture!"

With a slight chuckle Katarina shock her head. "Do you really think so, are you sure this not some wacko dream like Eli said?" Miriam laughed as her eyes were planted on the horizon. "Hey there magical world, I wish for us an adventure with treasures, pirates and really bad eggs!"

Silence...

The three the girls let out a disappointed sigh each. _Perhaps this really is a dream. Perhaps we're all lying there, in our neighbourhood roasting up with a dash of hallucinations. _Katarina thought to herself, a little puzzled.

"I guess I really shouldn't cause panic or anything… but guys, the forest is gone." Eli squeaked out.

Behind them only white sand stretched towards the opposite horizon. The forest had disappeared! Panic overwhelmed the girls and no one noticed that the bourbon of the reefs was getting louder by the second. The waves threw themselves at the shore more violently and a fierce wind rushed harshly by them.

The three friends never had time to react to the monstrous wave that rose to the skies, and so they were pulled to the deep ends of seas, never to be seen in this world again.

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**AN: I'm actually gambling with this fanfiction. I want to continue, but life for everyone is busy. ****I will simply try my best!**


	2. Chapter 2, Boxes

**AN: So here is the next chapter, if anyone is reading. I had some problems with "Somewhat Unexpected" and had to delete the entire story and repost it as "A little bit unexpected!". ****I really hate my computer... grrr... Anyway, I hope someone will read and enjoy. Especially the two that asked me to write this story, hehe. Reviews are always appreciated, both good and less good of course. Give me something I can learn from :) Please do correct me if I have made any major mistakes. Another thing, I just need to tell you, the story may seem a bit cliche right now, but it will develop into something more decent, promise! **

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Breathing! Katarina could feel herself breathe again. Her head was screaming and practically every part of her body was aching. Slowly she allowed herself to open her eyes only to be met by darkness. _The floor is cold… _She let her hands swipe the plating which surprisingly felt like steel. _Where am I? Ah, my head! If this is a dream it's terribly vivid! _Before she was allowed to think any further more pain went flying through her temporarily mushy brain. Clutching her head she flew up proceeding to stand still.

"Bloody hell, what's going on?" Katarina muttered quietly. She tried to take in where she was as her eyes adjusted to the dark. Vaguely she could see the outlining of… boxes? Many boxes! She had a minor epiphany: it was a storage room! Not that she knew where this storage room was though. It was then it suddenly dawned upon her that this most certainly wasn't home and least of all the freaking magic beach.

"Wait… I drowned. I DROWNED! I… DIED?" The shriek echoed through the room. Katarina pinched herself, hard! She pinched herself again! _Ouch… No, I'm definitely awake. Wide awake and strangely enough, dry!_

She suddenly became aware that she was not alone. A figure was moving on the floor not far from her, _Eli? Miriam?_ she wondered. Katarina moved towards what she hoped was a friend and couldn't help but think that she was an idiot for doing so. Hiding would be so much more profitable considering she could escape with her pathetic life should the person turn out to be a psychotic killer taking a nap. _Well, that which doesn't kill me… will probably try again. Why am I doing this?_

A wave of relief filled her as she heard the person's mindless babbling, "Meh… Don't kill me… Peter… Ph… PAN!" Miriam sat up strait looking around in confusion. When she noticed a sudden presence crouching down beside her she stared until her eyes lit up in recognition. After briefly explaining the situation Katarina let Miriam cry out her emotions concerning her vey unfortunate death and frequently emphasized to her that this was not the afterlife.

Silence…

"So where is Eli?" Miriam asked absentmindedly…

"Ah…"

For a moment they sat there in sheer dumfound silence until finally deciding it was time to look for their third companion. After what seemed to be a while of searching the girls still hadn't seen anything of their friend and began to grow worried. Katarina was silently fuming as they walked along the endless piles of boxes. Her shades were missing, Eli was missing and they were most likely lost in wherever this place was. She had another minor epiphany: this was a huge storage room! When she got home someone would pay for this! Be it a magic beach or humans, heads would roll and she would enjoy it!

Miriam was brooding and muttered nonsense about being hungry until a small sound made her stop and look towards its source. She saw something, or rather someone. A very tall someone! _Eli! _Miriam thought with inner glee! Before Katarina had time to register Miriam's actions, Eli was already enveloped in a massive hug from her friend.

"Eli! Finally we found you!" a tearful Miriam hiccupped. Eli smiled as she petted her head.

"Where have you guys been? When I didn't find you I started to believe you were hiding in one of these boxes… they seem to only be full deer antlers though." She said looking back over her shoulder. Katarina stepped around her to have a look. True enough, her friend had been busy opening at least more than 20 and antlers were spread around on the steel floor. _They don't taste any good either! Man, I'm hungry! _Eli thought and embraced her stomach.

"Katarina! I'm hungry!" Miriam whined and pulled her arm. The three girls had now gone a few hours with no food or water, and naturally they all were hungry.

Letting out a sigh while scratching her head Katarina said, "Fine, let's just look through these things and see if we can locate something eatable…" They didn't though, and many splinters later Katarina was ready to explode, only to realize that it was impossible to summon enough energy to do so. Miriam had already given up and laid spread out on the floor, moaning.

"Not that it's eatable or anything, but Katarina… I found a whole bunch of shades. Black ones even." Katarina could hear Eli holler a few metres away. Now, with one member feeling less empty, they continued their desperate search for food. A small miracle decided to suddenly occur, when the girls opened what seemed to be the 74th box. To their surprise it was filled with fruit. _Very suspicious fruit indeed! _Was the first thought that came to Eli's mind when she saw them. Their type didn't match with their colours at all and looking at them gave her an uneasy feeling. They were… unnatural.

Miriam, however, didn't seem to notice the sudden tension and happily reached for a pineapple with an unhealthy green colour and brown specks. With reflexes she didn't even know existed, Eli's hand flew out and grabbed Miriam's wrist before the fruit reached her gaping mouth. "Don't eat that!" She squeaked out. Katarina raised an eyebrow, but motioned at her to continue. "The… the fruit! Don't eat it, it's creepy. Don't you see?"

Katarina leaned her chin to her fist and watched the fruit with scrutinising eyes. They were in a storage room; possibly doomed to be lost in there for hours and their only source of nutrition were some strangely coloured fruit. _Genetic manipulation? _She guessed. Brushing the thought aside she turned towards Eli. "We really don't have any other option at hand and you know how Miriam gets when she is… well… very hungry." Eli considered her words for a few moments. A very angry and slightly cannibalistic Miriam was the last thing they needed right now, and so she let go of her friend's writs.

Miriam proceeded to gobble on the massive pineapple only to start coughing and gagging half way through. "Hey, slow down girl. You'll choke on it." Katarina said as she tapped her back. Miriam turned her head, "I didn't choke… it's just so… DISGUSTING!" Her small frame bent over once more and picked up the half eaten fruit. _Evil fruit! _She though and gulped down the rest of it. B_ut I'm hungry so I'll guess you'll do. _

Eli and Katarina frowned at her actions and picked up a fruit each. _If she can do it, so can I! _Their minds spoke in unison. Few minutes later they were all bent over the floor fighting to keep the contents of their stomachs down. Though the hunger was absent, their mental recovery would probably take weeks. Now there was only one mission left, to get the hell out of here.

Another convenient miracle decided to take place as they heard a massive creak. It sounded like coming from a large door being opened. The three girls were momentarily blinded when bright lights were turned on to finally show the details of their surroundings. "Peoplmph…" Eli clasped a hand over Miriam's mouth.

"Shhh!" Eli hissed and looked towards Katarina who gestured towards a nearby box. "Inside it, now!" Katarina could feel her heartbeat rapidly speed up as she crouched down beside Eli and Miriam in the large, wooden square. For all that they knew these people were not friendly. Footsteps were coming dangerously closer and the murmur of men could be heard. The three girls managed to slightly open the lid to sneak a quick look of the strangers.

"What a drag! Why are we assigned to clean the storage? We're marines!" The complaint came from a large and rather burly man with short, brown hair and squinted eyes. His companion, smaller in comparison, gave him a pat on the shoulder. "Now, now, Buhara… It can't be helped. Being a marine involves many duties, and hey, we were lucky enough to get transferred here to North-Blue. I heard recently that a new pirate crew is raging in the east!"

_Pirates? North-Blue? It can't be! _Millions of thoughts were racing through the girls' heads as they were listening to the conversation.

"Keh, you coward!" The large one, known as Buhara, snorted and brushed away the hand on his shoulder. "Listen here, Kain. I would take them right on with these fists of mine! No matter though, I guess we'll just have to deal with the small fry here in the north. Man, and here I thought that _the_ Kerberos marine base would offer more excitement than lousy…" Buhara froze in his steps as he took in the sight before him. _You've got to be shitting me! _He thought.

Before the two men boxes and their contents were spread everywhere. "Ehehe, I guess this place really does need to be cleaned then." Kain laughed hoarsely as he scratched the back of his head. "Damn it! I bet you this is the work of some lousy newbie! When I get my hands on him I'll… arrgh!" Buhara was pulling his hair as he fumed.

As the two marines were fussing over the mess, Katarina mentally noted what she had heard as she closed the lid. _Ok, so we're in North-Blue at a marine base called Kerberos. Hehe, like the doggie from hell… Apparently an East-blue exists and a new pirate crew is currently raging in that part of the sea! Oh crud, that's it, I've finally gone demented… _

"Uhm guys…" she whispered and turned her shades towards her two companions, "Is it possible that we're in… One Piece?"

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**AN: I know it's kind of overused that the additional characters receive devil fruits early on, but believe me, they won't be superstrong kick-ass types. I'll make sure they kind of suck at times. Well, I hope you enjoyed. ****Bye bye! **


	3. Chapter 3, Propane

**AN: Well then, here's the thrid chapter. The story will become more One Piece'ish in the next chapter. Oh, and something unexpected will occur! Dare I say it won't be a cliché? No! I don't... But we'll see. Anyways, enjoy ^^**

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_One Piece? One... pirates… anime? _A stream of uncoordinated thoughts rushed through Eli's mind. Now that Katarina mentioned it, Eli discovered that she hadn't found the time and place to panic yet. _How odd! _Her mind was suddenly drawn back to reality as Katarina pinched her cheeks harshly, though she never even realised she had left in the first place.

"Eli… ELI!" Katarina hissed quietly, "Snap out of it! Don't freak on us now!"

Eli face seemed to slacken and she proceeded to massage her reddened face. After a few minutes of leering silence she seemed to find her voice again, "It's funny, how life works." She sniggered. _Oh dear… _her two companions knew what was coming next. "For some reason fate decides to open up a portal to a magic beach and while we innocently play in the sand we get drowned and sucked into another world by a massive wave. Oh, this would have been nice if we had actually been thrown on board the Going Merry, but no! Hell no! WE had to land on a marine base that's not even mentioned in the storyline in the freaking NORTH-BLUE?" She said with a dangerously loud voice.

'Smack'

"Stay silent! You're gonna get us discovered!" After delivering the rather painful slap, Katarina gestured for the others to keep quiet while she peaked out from the box. _They're still just cleaning up._

"Um, Katarina…"

"What?" She answered, sounding rather angry as she continued to observe the two Marines.

"Miriam has passed out from an overload of stressing information and she's drooling on me." Eli muttered and tried to push her friend towards something else than her shoulder.

_Yay life! _Katarina slumped down again and sighed. Should they revile themselves to these men? The option was not a very tempting one, considering the rather poor impression most Marines had made while they were watching the show. _Ah, home. How I miss you! _The two girls wailed silently while trying to figure out what to do.

When it finally seemed to quiet outside their little hideout, Katarina once more dared to look out. The lights were conveniently enough still on and the men were not in sight, and so they stepped out of the box careful not to make a sound. Miriam was currently standing on wobbly legs after being wakened rather cruelly by Eli, who still complained about the drool on her recently purchased blue vest. _The door, the door… where is it? _Katarina thought frantically!

Eli started to walk in a random direction, waving for the other two to follow. A lovely sight finally appeared as they found themselves standing in front of a large door, still slightly open. Like the floor, both the door and walls were covered with the cold steel material, as to be expected from a military facility. _Jeez, those guys were sloppy… door open, lights on and three very innocent aliens skipping around. _With a low giggle, Eli stepped forwards and pulled the door. Again a loud creak echoed through the room and the three girls flinched.

"Come on, let's go!" Miriam said and bumped the two others towards the exit. _Yeah, go where and do what? _Katarina realised that they were just as lost in these hallways as they were in this storage room.

"Ok, let's just… walk somewhere… anywhere!" They started roaming the hallways, very empty and spacious hallways. _This is just too convenient! _Katarina thought to herself and adjusted her shades. The luck, however, didn't prove everlasting when they suddenly were face to face with what seemed to be a janitor.

"Oh…" The elderly man mumbled and narrowed his eyes at them.

_Shit! _

"Ah, how wonderful to see young girls take initiative and join the navy! It warms an old man's heart!" he exclaimed with a smile.

The desire to face-palm almost conquered and would have succeeded had it not been for Eli's quick thinking. "Yes, yes!" She said and returned his smile with a happy grin, whereas the other two just gaped. "My good sir, we seem to find ourselves quite lost! You see, we were about to get a tour of your wonderful establishment… um… Kerberos, but somehow we managed to get separated from our group!"

After collecting herself Katarina decided to follow her friend's plan, "That's right sir!" She grinned at him, "Would you be a dear and help us out? You seem to be well informed about this place! Are you perhaps of high ranking?" _Damn, I'm a suck up!_

The old man blushed profoundly, "Oh no, my girls, I'm just a simple janitor here at Kerberos. I've been so for 10 years now, best years of my life even though the job is simple!" He chuckled slightly and continued, "Do you need help with finding your friends then?"

_Think girl! Think, think, think! _Katarina's brain was going through a craze while trying to come up with something. _We could…_

"If I remember correctly our guide was taking us to the docks to observe your gunships!" Miriam suddenly said out of the blue. _Docks! Docks have boats, boats go places… we can get out of here! Nice Miriam! _Katarina and Eli thought in unison.

"Of course girls, if you would please follow me! Our battleships are truly a sight to behold. We have a long history of..." Katarina zoned out while the elderly man, who presented himself as Seihoro, started telling them about the history of this place and its origins. Sure enough, they were heading for the docks, but the difficult question was how on earth they were going to get on board a ship and pass off as marines. Were there even any ships leaving this place?

When the company of four had been walking for a little while the sound of new footsteps could be heard. The number was no doubt large, as the sound itself seemed to overthrow Seihoro's voice. Appearing from the corner was a group of marines in light jog closing in on them. _Nooooo! _That one moment the three friends wanted nothing more than to turn and run like the devil was on their heels, yet they stood still.

"Not a word!" Katarina wheezed through her teeth, "Just smile!"

Like she expected the group of men halted as they reached them. The one who carried himself as the leader stepped forward and took in the girls' appearance with a rather uncomfortable gaze before focusing his attention on the elderly man, "Seihoro, you're not supposed to be here! The left wing has things needed to be done. And you three…" He turned his eyes back at the unknown crowd of three, "I haven't seen you here before. State your section at once!" He demanded with a loud and clear voice.

Seihoro nervously took a step towards the man, "Now, now, First Sergeant Janeso, there is really nothing to worry about. These girls are fresh you see and have recently been separated from their friends. I'm guiding them to the docks to regroup with…" He didn't get a chance to finish before the Sergeant cut him off.

"Silence you old fool! I demand to know who… hey… where are they?"

Further down the hall three figures could be seen running. Why they had decided to do this was lost to them. Did they know what they were doing? No! Did they think things through? Definitely not! Had they lost the lovely little part of sanity that was most likely in charge of safe judgement? Yes, yes they had! That, however, mattered little to them. Their main concern now was to get far away.

"After them!" Katarina could hear a man holler not too far behind her. She rounded a corner and went faster. _What now?_ She shrugged the thought away and continued running until she couldn't hear their footsteps any longer. _Wait… I can only hear my own! _Katarina froze and looked around. Eli and Miriam were missing!

Only a few corridors away Miriam was now wandering aimlessly. _Hmm, where did they go? _

'Grumble'

She embraced here stomach, "Aw, my tummy hurts! If only I could find a toilet…" Fate seemed to be extremely kind and decided for her to tumble upon a women's restroom.

"Lucky!" She grinned and entered.

'Flush'

Few moments later she exited with a content smile on her face. "Yeah, all better!" Miriam started roaming the halls again and patted her stomach, "Now I have to find my friends. Man, they get lost so easily!" She giggled to herself as she skipped down the endless corridors. A sudden alarm made her jump a few metres and speakers could be heard echoing through the facility.

"Attention marines! Intruder alert! This is not a drill. I repeat; this is not a drill! The intruders are three girls; all in the age range of 15-18. Capture only and report to General Kagurei."

Miriam soon recovered from her small shock and started running again. _Gah! I need to find the others! Besides, something smells really strange. Almost bitter? Gasoline? No, it's something else… _To the untrained eye the smell's source was invisible, but looking carefully a small disruption in the air could be seen around Miriam. Unaware of her current actions, the young girl stopped and tilted her head upwards.

'Sniff, sniff'

Miriam's nostrils flared. Amongst the smell of bitter gas she could detect a small hint of the ocean sent. _Ha! I'm going the right way! _She triumphed and rushed forward. "Hey, you over there!" She shouted to a young Private* not far from her. His back stiffened and he turned towards the stranger with a confused look on his face, "Uh, me?" _Well, this is only one girl. Guess she isn't the threat they're fussing about then. _

"Yeah you! Can you point me in the direction of the docks? I might miss my ship if I don't get there in time." She explained. The young Private, a naïve gentleman, naturally pointed out the direction and let her be on her way. _What a nice encounter! But why does it smell like… propane? _He decided to not bother with it and smiled to himself. _I guess I'll go have a smoke… _The young man started to fiddle with a lighter.

Finally reaching the docks Miriam halted to catch her breath. _Ok then…_

"MIRIAM!" Eli and Katarina came running out of nowhere.

The three friends embraced each-other while gasping.

"I thought I lost you guys." They all said in unison. When calming down they took time to have a look around at the emptied marine docks. Right before them stood a large number of ships, each one lined neatly next to the other. The huge creations were actually quite breathtaking in person, yet the girls had no time to enjoy the sight.

'Sniff'

"Miriam, why do you smell like…" Katarina had no time to finish her sentence before the entire building started shaking.

'KABOOM'

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**AN: *A Private is considered the lowest rank in the system of the marines. At least to my own knowledge.  
Anyway, I hope someone will post a comment^^ Bye then!**


	4. Chapter 4, Lubelle

**AN: Here we go! The fourth chapter. I hope someone enjoys. Comments are always appreciated! I don't own One Piece, it belongs its genius creator! **

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The wave of heat that followed after the sudden explosion was more than enough to knock the three girls of their feet. They landed, rather painfully, in a pile of wooden boards a few metres away. Chaos soon followed and what they assumed to be a fire alarm rang loudly in their ears. Smoke and flames erupted from the doors and the smell of gunpowder filled the air. Katarina was speechless and the pain kept her from thinking straight.

After helping her two friends up she suddenly felt something wet travel down her cheeks. _Crying… now of all times? _She scolded herself and angrily wiped away her tears with the sleeve of her jacket. When she had finally gained control of her shaking body, she turned her attention towards dozens of barrels neatly piled up next to a large battleship.

Katarina somewhat managed to sort out her thoughts, even though her brain was still unfocused. _We need to get out of here! _"Girls, you ok?" Small groans answered her.

On wobbly legs, they walked towards the battleship, "Empty a barrel each and hide inside!"

"Where are we supposed to put whatever is in there?" Eli murmured. The thought of possibly spending hours in a barrel was not very appealing to her, much like the situation with the box earlier. "Umm, dump it in the water?" At the time it seemed to be the only reasonable option, and so they proceeded doing what Miriam suggested.

Miriam selected a random barrel quite close to her and opened it. It was, oddly enough, only filled with soft hay. She grinned mentally and made herself comfortable. The adrenaline that had pumped through her veins minutes ago seemed to vanish instantly and her eyelids became heavy. Eli, however, wasn't as lucky and had to deal with a large amount of nasty smelling leaves. _I really hope they aren't medicinal herbs! _She left only a little, hoping it would prevent her butt from falling asleep.

Katarina's turned out to be a water barrel. She easily emptied it and climbed inside. Now all they had to do was wait and hope for the best. _Great, just great! I'm a former claustrophobic patient and I have to deal with this all by myself! Ok, remember what the psychologist told you: go to your happy place. _

Before long the girls fell asleep from exhaustion and didn't even note when the barrels were being moved. Hours later Katarina woke, albeit for a short while only. _Mph… feels like the whole place is rocking back and fourth… like waves… so sleepy._ Sleep claimed her yet again and so the night continued. Three ships left Kerberos in the dark, brining with them dreaming stowaways.

Morning came and small rays of light seeped in between the cracks in the barrel where the purple headed girl was sleeping soundly. Though her shades kept the light from bothering her, it was enough to bring her out of her dreams. _It's still rocking back and fourth. Did I accidently inhale large amounts of alcohol?_ _Then where's the hangover? _Katarina was not much of a party person, though occasionally her competitive nature would get her involved in a drinking game. She remembered the first time her mother caught her… under the influence. Not pretty!

After a few moments of pondering she felt the rocking still down and so she decided it was time to get out and wake the others. That was easier said than done, considering her body was in complete lockdown after crouching together for a surprisingly long time. The pain subsided and Katarina finally managed to summon enough power to push the lid open, completely forgetting to be cautious of possible Marines patrolling the docks.

What met her sight was not quite what she had expected. Before her was not the vast dock of Kerberos Marine Base, but a room. A wooden built room to be precise. Beside her she noted that there were several other barrels and then she realised: _We've been moved! It worked! _

"Eli, Miriam, come out!" She hissed quietly.

Silence…

"Miriam? Eli?" Katarina dared to raise her voice a little.

Again she was only answered with silence.

She pouted. Removing her shades, she walked over to the few barrels that were actually there and opened them. Never before had she panicked as much as she did a few moments later. They weren't there! Pulling herself together Katarina noted a cap casually laying a short distance away from her. The symbol of the Marine adorned its front and she picked it up for further inspection, "I-I guess I'm still gonna have to deal with the Marine, huh? Alone…" _I'm so dead!_

Making a quick decision, Katarina pulled on the cap and put her shades back on their rightful place. _Just walk out of here, calmly walk out of here! _Slowly, she reached for the doorknob and while doing so she felt her heartbeat quicken. Her mind completely blanked when she stepped outside. Her face was met with a fresh breeze that tinted her cheeks red. Katarina couldn't help but to take a deep breath, feeling in utter bliss. Never had it felt so good to be outside. Men attired with the customary Marine uniform hurriedly walked around on deck brining up new barrels from a harbour. Preparing herself, Katarina grabbed a nearby bucket and started to walk. _Calmly, calmly, walk calmly. For the love of all that is awesome, don't run!_

Some greater power seemed to be on her side, as she went unquestioned the whole way down to the main harbour. Katarina kept on walking for another few metres, but halted when a large shadow was cast over her. She, rather painfully, bent her neck backwards and looked at the sign which brought her a surprised feeling of joy. The massive sign announced "Loguetown" over the entrance to the main street, crowded with people. Katarina took this as her cue and disappeared in the masses.

"Loguetown" She murmured and removed the hat, shoving it in her pocket. The thought that she finally was somewhere familiar brought a smile to her face, yet it didn't last long when remembering her friends were possibly very far away. Walking up the street Katarina must have been a strange sight to behold. Her odd hair contrasted strongly with her dark grey, baggy jacket and black capri pants. The pilot shades gleamed in the sunlight and her brightly coloured Nike shoes made her appear odd. Whistling to herself the girl started to wonder what on earth she was supposed to do now. _How am I not having a nervous breakdown after all this? Where should I go? _No, the situation wasn't looking good.

Katarina's aimless wandering ended up brining her outside an inn, and a few metres up the building a small sign said "The Blue Pegasus". _Nice name! Well, here goes nothing. _Inside Katarina was met with an unpleasing sight. A bar was set in the left side of the room and a few tables and chairs were scattered around carelessly. Not that there was anything wrong with the arranging, the problem was that the place reeked and was downright filthy. In the corner a fireplace still held on to a small fire, but the absence of wood threatened to vanquish it completely. Stairs could be seen leading up to the floor above and Katarina assumed the rooms were located there.

_Oh, this is just nasty! _Dragging a finger along the bar left a small trace in the dust which clearly indicated that this place needed a decent cleaning. Suddenly a door opened from behind the counter and out stepped a man, heavily perfumed and wearing a turquoise dress. _Is he a… transvestite? No doubt, I would kill for those eyelashes! _His gaze landed on her for a moment before breaking out in laughter.

"Oh my, oh my! What a striking young lady you are! Perhaps a bit boyish, though I'm sure there's a lovely little thing beneath those baggy clothes of yours!" _Excuse me? _Katarina laughed nervously. She was completely thrown off by the blunt comment and wasn't able to find her words.

"Hmmm? What my dear? Now why would you be in a dirty place like this? You'll have to forgive this mess! This place has been completely out of business since Captain Smoker came to the city. What are you staring at child? Have you fallen in love with my outer beauty?" The questions came streaming giving Katarina no chance to answer. She felt a shiver travel down her spine, but fought against her rattling nerves and coughed, "Umm, miss, my bucket and I want to know what you charge for a room?"

The man continued to stare at her before giggling, "Miss? Me? Oh you flirt!" _I'm not flirting… _"I'm sorry my dear, I don't have much to offer. Every room here isn't the least bit presentable but…" He properly took in Katarina's appearance. _I might just run now! Run Katarina and never look back!_

"You wouldn't consider helping me out, would you?" He smiled kindly.

Katarina almost fell on her face there and then. Did he offer her a job?

Silence…

'Grumble'

Hurriedly Katarina embraced her stomach. She was hungry again. The only thing she had eaten was the awful tasting fruit, not to mention she felt completely dehydrated. It was a wonder that she even stood here right now.

The man grinned, "Come now, I'll prepare something to eat while we talk things over." Katarina only nodded and followed the odd character back into the kitchen. It was, like most of the place, rather dirty, but Katarina didn't mind as long as she got some nutrition. The transvestite presented himself as Lubelle and proved to be a very nice, though strange person. While feeding the staving girl he explained his situation down to detail. Apparently his inn had been rather popular when pirates came to Loguetown. After Captain Smoker had been assigned to the city the numbers of customers had dropped drastically and considering its reputation no ordinary people would dine or rent here anymore. Katarina felt for Lubelle and found the situation very unfortunate.

"Well, as I was suggested earlier, would you help me out young lady?" Lubelle asked leaning over the dining table.

"I'm not really sure what you mean." Katarina answered and proceeded nibbling on a piece of bread.

Lubelle laughed at her response, "My employers have all left me considering I have nothing to pay them with. This filth is driving me up the walls and if you clean this place I'll let you stay a few nights in return. Hm? Isn't that a wonderful offer I have for you darling? It could even become a permanent thing, I could use some company." _Careful now man, that could be misunderstood… _Katarina didn't give a damn at the moment and soon after she found herself shaking Lubelle's hand in agreement. _My psychologist might have cured my fear for small places, but my mild OCD* is still intact! HAH! Prepare to be cleaned!_

Later that night Lubelle found Katarina passed out on a spotless floor, cloth still in hand. What he found odd about the sight was the amount of bubbles floating in the air. _I don't remember my detergent creating bubbles before... _His inn seemed to have a new air about it and he smiled. Silently he carried the unconscious girl up to her new room and left her there, dreaming about her two friends somewhere far far away.

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**AN: Writing fanfiction is the most fun I've had in a while, hehe.  
*OCD - In this context it means to have an obsession with keeping things clean and neat (a compulsive behaviour/ you just have to do it!)  
Look it up for more information if you're curious ^^ PS: I've actually given a hint to where Eli ends up. Figured it out? Hope you enjoyed it! **


	5. Chapter 5, Smoker

**AN: I'm in a writing mood at the moment, so the chapters just keep coming. Can't say this will last forever though, hehe. Oh, if anyone is wondering how Katarina got from North-Blue to East-Blue in one night, there is a somewhat reasonable explanation to that. The Marines have a series of secret and convenient pathways, at least according to my sources. Both Loguetown and Kerberos are close to the Grand-Line and Red-Line, so I imagined that they weren't too far apart. **

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_Four days now…__. _Katarina though while serving another customer his drink. The day after her rather ravaging cleanup of "The Blue Pegasus", a handful of persons had actually dropped by to have a look. Apparently rumours went around that the inn was now a decent place for locals, both clean and presentable. _Thank you OCD! Though I'm sure Lubelle's gossip friends had much to do with it. _Katarina also took the liberty of rearranging the whole dining area, making it more pleasing to the eye. The fireplace emitted a comfortable amount of warmth and gave the area a red glow.

Lubelle had to admit her new employee had done a marvellous job, though her black shades had to go. For the first two days the transvestite went on and on how they made the atmosphere gloomy and that no frail hearted customer would even dare set foot in his bar should she keep on this way.

"Katarina-chan, focus your doe eyes this way please!" _What's wrong with brown? They're just plain brown. I feel so naked! _Her shades now rested neatly on her purple coloured hair, basking in all its glory.

"I have some errands to run. Do you think you can watch the place by yourself?" He asked smiling. Currently there were only three customers so doing this alone shouldn't be a problem, "No problem, my lady!" Katarina returned his smile and bowed dramatically. Laughing, her boss exited "The Blue Pegasus", leaving the young girl to her own business.

Letting out a breath, she began to dust off a couple of whisky bottles she had found in the basement only hours ago. When roaming around she concluded that Lubelle's storage was truly a treasure cove, filled with the most interesting kinds of liquor. _I can't believe he had this laying around without knowing! _She sniggered to herself, completely unaware of the new presence entering the room. "I wonder if the taste still…"

Her mumbling ended abruptly when a dark shadow loamed over her, causing the air to tense. Very slowly, Katarina allowed herself to turn around and greet the customer. As she realised who stood in front of her, the words were quickly swiped away. Before her stood a man of large stature, silver haired and frankly had the eyes of an experienced killer. _Smo-Smoker? C-Captain Smoker? _

Katarina's eyes widened comically and continued to stare at the new arrival. Not bothered by her obviously shocked expression, Smoker took a seat by the bar with a sigh. "Girl!" He barked.

"Yes?" Katarina fought to keep her voice even. She wouldn't risk her dignity by squeaking in front of a Marine Captain, especially not _the _Captain Smoker. Coughing she tried once more, "Yes? What can I do for you?" The marine watched her with a scrutinising gaze causing Katarina to shiver slightly.

"You're an unfamiliar face in these parts kid. What person with a sane mind would work for Lubelle?" Realizing Smoker had insulted her employer, Katarina was quick to snap, "What concern is that of yours? I'll tell you something, one more bad word about the owner and you're out of here. Captain or not, see if I care!" _Why can't I keep my mouth shut? _Gasps could be heard from the few locals in the room, followed by an eerie silence.

"Hmm? You are quick to defend your superior, I can respect that." He started, "But speak to me like that again and my good mood will be ruined. You may be loyal, but keep that tongue of yours in check!" The atmosphere seemed to darken and Katarina dared to look him properly in the eyes. Smoker raised an eyebrow at her, waiting for a reply, which she returned with a sour stare. _How I wish I had my shades on right now… No way in hell I'm gonna win this fight! _

"I apologize for any disrespect, Captain. Your comment, however, was unnecessary!" She stated calmly. He answered with a nod and looked around.

"I actually had a matter to discuss with your boss, but as he's absent you'll have to do." He pulled out two cigars and lit them. Waving away the heavy smoke, Katarina turned to open a window allowing a fresh breeze to enter. "How can I be of assistance then, sir?" She returned in front of him behind the counter, hands on her hips. Oddly enough she started to feel at ease around the silver haired man, considering she was frightened out of her wits minutes ago.

Smoker took a deep drag from his cigars. "It's nothing out of the ordinary girly." More smoke filled the room as he exhaled, "I recently received words that this place was up and running again. I think you're aware of its history and I'm responsible for taking care of any pirate activity on this island." Ending the sentence, he went back puffing on his cigars. _If Eli was here she would beat him for exposing me to second hand smoking. _Katarina grinned mentally at the image.

"I think there's been a misunderstanding, sir. This is just a result of large amounts of caffeine and a washing cloth. According to Lubelle no pirates have stepped foot in Loguetown and left since you got stationed here." Smoker grumbled, sounding almost disappointed after hearing her explanation.

"Alright! Well then, seeing as I'm already here why don't you give some from that bottle over there?" He gestured towards the nearby whisky. Katarina simply shrugged and poured him a glass. A mutual silence fell between the two acquaintances until a sudden noise made both Smoker and her turn their attention towards the door. Barging in came Lubelle, practically fuming.

"SMOKER!" He screeched, "Tashigi-chan told me you were looking for me. What are you doing in my bar you meddling bastard? Bothering my dear Katarina-chan at work? Shame on you, she's 17 years old!" _Excuse me? _The accusation left Katarina flabbergasted.

"You haven't done anything to her, have you? I swear to Kami-sama* that if a single hair…" Katarina hurriedly interrupted her angry rambling before she put the whole situation out of proportion.

"Lubelle, please calm down! He's only here to clear out a misunderstanding." Letting the words sink in, Lubelle gave the Captain a harsh glare, "Well then, what was this misunderstanding?" The young employee repeated what Smoker had told her, letting him finish his drink in peace. When finished explaining, the Marine Captain stood up, "I'll take my leave then, though don't expect me to let this place go unsupervised. If you welcome a pirate your inn won't have a future in this city, Lubelle!" With that, he left them to their thoughts.

For the next two weeks Smoker was true to his word and occasionally came to "The Blue Pegasus". At times he would have a drink of rum and make some small talk before leaving for his duties. Katarina couldn't help but like Smoker. He didn't seem interested in how she got there and mainly stuck to conversations about the Marines. His presence at the bar also resulted in boosting up the flow of customers. _Out of all places in this city, "The Blue Pegasus" had to become a miniature Marine Base!_

Sighing, Katarina took the orders of two young Privates. They were a decent bunch, no doubt, but left her feeling nervous whenever someone should mention the North-Blue. Once she swore she heard them talk about an incident at Kerberos and so she excused herself and headed to her room. Her newfound friendship with Tashigi, the Sergeant Major who was under the direct command of Smoker, was a great help. Whenever someone would start pestering her about with uncomfortable questions, the blue haired woman was there to help her out.

"Katarina-san, I'll be going now." Tashigi gave her a small bow as she left, dragging along some Marine soldiers by their ears in protest.

Waving goodbye to her friend, Katarina turned her attention towards the book in her hands. "The Many Wonders at Seas!" it was called, a small present from Lubelle. She was currently reading about the phenomenon of Devil Fruits, which she already knew to have a bitter taste and odd appearance. _So, __we can figure out the name of a fruit by the power it gives, but the kind of power we get is completely up to chance__… _Katarina had never really thought it over, but the fruits she and the girls had eaten when first waking up in this world did taste… well they tasted disgusting. At the time they didn't even know they were in One Piece.

_Does that mean I…?__ In that case, what do I have? _"Hey, Lubelle?" Upon hearing his name he came from the kitchen, "What, Katarina-chan?"

"Have you ever… how do I put this?" She murmured while scratching her head, "Have I done anything… abnormal lately?" The question came to Lubelle as odd, yet it did bring something to mind. Pondering on it for a little while he decided it would be for the best to tell her.

"Well dear, now that you mention it, yes you have!"

Silence…

"Well, what is it then?"

Lubelle was uncertain how to describe it and so he simply blurted it out as it was, "When you sleep you tend to create bubbles!" _Or at least I think it's you... _

_What?_

Giggling at her confused expression he continued, "I'm serious, whenever you fall asleep bubbles just seem to appear out of nowhere. Some are even as large as me! Have you ever eaten one of those, oh what are they called… Devil things?"

"Devil Fruits!" Katarina corrected her, "And yes, I believe I have." She started walking to the stairs. "I think I need a moment to gather myself!" Halfway up she could hear her boss calling to her.

"Why don't you read a little further in that book I gave you dear? I'm sure it'll prove to be useful!" _So there was a motive behind this thing? _Entering her room, Katarina plopped down on her bed with the book. It was quite a simple room with one bed beneath a window to the right and a small desk with a chair to the far left. Changing in to her recently purchased pajamas, she neatly folded the few clothes she owned and placed them in a small chest underneath the bed, next to a pair of wooden slippers. Yes, simple, but it was easy to keep tidy so Katarina was content.

"Bubbles huh?" Closing her eyes, she let herself relax. A strange feeling started to surface from the depth of her mind, one she had never encountered before. Almost as if on instinct, she swiped her hand through the air and imagined the room filled with the most ridiculous thing she could think of at the moment… namely bubbles. Opening her eyes, she was met with a strange sight. Round, transparent balls were indeed floating around in the bedroom, seemingly without a care in the world.

_"_Awa awa no mi."* She whispered. Why she knew the name was unknown to her.

_Great… I'm freaking party entertainment!_

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**AN: If there are any mistakes concerning grammar etc, please tell me and I'll correct them =) **

** *Awa awa no mi: the bubble fruit in plain English, or bubble bubble fruit. Awa can also be translated to foam (sea foam, soap foam etc) **

***Kami-sama: mean God. **

** My thanks to Arethusa for adding me to her favourites and comments^^  
My thanks to Magic126 for adding both of my stories to her favourites!  
Also thanks to Nyxtolouloudo for recently subscribing to my story! **


	6. Chapter 6, Wanted

**AN: I'm sorry it took so long to update, I kind of fell out of rhythm and I've also been on vacation. I hope you like this chapter, things will start happening more rapidly now =) Feel free to comment and give constructive critique! ****It's always appreciated! **

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Two weeks passed and Katarina wisely spent it getting to know her herself. _Wow, I'm 17 years old and already going through my midlife-crisis! _She dryly thought to herself. Walking down the crowded main street, Katarina pondered about her recent discovery. With each step she took, her wooden sandals made small clicking sounds as they came in contact with the stone pavement.

Awe awe no mi proved to be an entertaining, but rather weak, devil fruit when it came to combat. She could mainly make bubbles of several sizes, which she could either sit in or bounce on. The density of each bubble, however, varied greatly. Some lasted for several hours, whereas others burst when she reached out to touch them.

In certain situations, the air ball could even be used to catch people when in free fall and avoid injury. _Katarina to the rescue! _She chuckled quietly to herself and had already decided that she kind of liked her newfound power. The only problem she could find with it was the annoying pinkish hue each and every bubble seemed to have.

_Why pink? Im like that weird, disturbingly cute pokémon… Myu… or something like that… _

Like any ordinary day in Loguetown, people buzzed around, busy and content with their own lives. Whether it was with their family or friends, most inhabitants of the city seemed to be outside to enjoy the nice weather. Katarina thought that this was yet another uneventful day, but never had she been more wrong. Unaware of the upcoming events, she kept on walking, occasionally entering a shop she found interesting.

Further up in the city, at Loguetown Marine Base, a common Private was running down the hallways. With papers in hand, he entered his Captain's room in a rush, already creating a sweat on his forehead. "Captain Smoker! There's an alert!" He yelled into the smoke filled room. When answered with silence, he decided to continue.

"We've received notification from Marine Headquarters. Monkey D. Luffy and his band of pirates are headed towards Logue town! He's the East Blue pirate with a reward on his head for 30, 000, 000 Beri!"

"30 million, huh?" The man heard Captain Smoker take a deep drag from his cigars, "Want me to congratulate him or something?" He grunted and exhaled.

Apparently shocked by his Captain's response, the Marine soldier exclaimed: "He's the one who defeated Don Krieg and the Merman Arlong!" The Straw Hat crew now had a rapidly growing reputation, yet the cigar loving man seemed unaffected. "Shut up!" He barked, followed by a small racket of tumbling rocks. The Marine Captain had an odd habit of construction small towers whenever he was bored.

Smoker sighed as he scratched his head, "Damn your yelling. You broke it!" Despite his choice of words, his tone wasn't harsh anymore. That, however, didn't prevent the younger Marine from flinching. "F-Forgive me!" Sighing once more, the Captain moved towards the window and opened it. "Well, forget it. I have my own way of doing things. I have my own pace, you know?"

The air cleared, finally allowing the other Marine to breathe and see normally. "So, you were saying?" Smoker faced him, waiting for an answer. Straightening his pose, the Marine announced the news for his leader. "Sir, it seems there are a band of pirates headed for the city today… sir!" His voice was jittery with a slight shake. There weren't many in Loguetown who could withstand Captain Smoker's narrow gaze without trembling in their sockets. Smoker frowned at the frightened Marine.

"What are you getting all worked up for? Since I've been at this post, has there ever been a pirate that's been able to get out of this city once they've entered?"

The other Marine managed to squeeze out a quiet "No." Smoker reached for his jacket and threw it on. "Then don't get all nervous. I'll take care of it, at my own pace." Reviled by his Captain's response, the Private nodded. When walking towards the door, the two halted in their steps when a man of Corporal* ranking entered. He, like the first, had wanted several posters in his hands.

Giving Smoker his salutes, he gave his announcement, "Reporting sir, pirates have been sighted at the harbour! Please come to confirm the situation!"

"It's got to be the Luffy Pirates, sir! There weren't any others mentioned in the bulletin!" The first Marine exclaimed. Huffing, Smoker started walking towards the door again, murmuring something about wanting to meet this pirate. Right before leaving, Smoker noticed the additional wanted posters in the Corporal's hands.

"Hand them over! I'll have a look at them while I walk."

The Corporal gladly handed the papers over to his commander. As he walked down the hallway, the Captain flipped through the several posters. Each one was as uninteresting as the other. These so called pirates were nothing but small fry, thinking they could take on the world with their little boats and cannons. They knew nothing of reality! One poster, however, made Smoker halt in his steps.

"Um, sir?" The Corporal received no answer.

It was a wanted poster that consisted of three people, with only what appeared to be a name given by the Marine Headquarters. _"North Hounds"... That's a dumb name! _Smoker thought to himself.

"Corporal!" The Captain barked.

"Y-yes sir?"

"What can you tell me about this?" Smoker held the wanted poster for him to see.

"Ah, of course sir!" He fumbled with an additional file he had brought with him to provide his commander with the needed information. "This was recently received from North-Blue! It's believed that these three girls were responsible for destroying the entire south fling of Kerberos Marine Base!" He took a breath to continue. "It was reported that they disappeared without a trace, sir. Furthermore, names and any other personal data are unknown! The security cameras were lucky enough to record their faces, though they are not of the best standards."

The Marine was right, the picture was indeed of poor quality. There was, however, one thing that caught Captain Smoker's attention. He looked more closely at the girl to the far right. Though her facial features were hard to make out, there was one thing that stood out like a soar thumb. Her vibrant purple hair and black sunglasses was not something that went unnoticed! _Katarina... _In the picture she had a determined look on her face, one that she wore quite often. The other two people were unknown to him.

"Sir... there is one more thing." The Marine began as he looked further through the report on the wanted poster. "The girls have a combined bounty on their heads, yet there are no current records of them being pirates. No one really understands why they infiltrated the Kerberos Marine base of North Blue to begin with. How they managed to get in is also unknown! It's like they appeared out of nowhere…" He ended rather nervously. Smoker was not one to take kindly to jokes, nor poor investigation for that matter.

_Tashigi is going to give me a hard time about this. This is so troublesome! She actually took a shine to this girl… _

Grumbling to himself, Smoker gave his order to the Corporal. "Go gather up a few men and put Katarina under arrest." He didn't bother to mention her last name, it was strange and difficult to pronounce. Not a surname that was considered common in these parts or any other place he could think of.

"Uh… Katarina?" He swallowed audibly. "Why? Has she done something?" The Marine was familiar with the temperamental youngster who worked for Lubelle. On occasions he went to the bar, but he never admitted to anyone that it was only to talk to her. Somehow, he had managed to develop a crush on the strange newcomer.

Smoker only handed him the wanted poster and went to take care of the pirates that had been sighted at the harbour. Only now the Corporal could see that it was Katarina on the wanted poster. It was undeniable! Scratching his head, he gave a sigh and went to gather a handful of men as his Captain had ordered. Still, it was hard to ignore the uncomfortable feeling developing in the back of his head.

Happily unaware of the small commotion she had started, Katarina was still walking the streets of Loguetown. She was wondering whether or not she should buy some ice cream when she noticed a crowd that had gathered further down the street. _What's happening outside the sword shop? _Very soon Katarina heard a familiar voice.

"Glasses… glasses… glasses!" Poor Tashigi was crawling around on the ground in search of her important possession.

_No way! It can't be? _

A green haired man stood right in front of the fumbling woman on the ground. _It's Zoro! ZORO! _Katarina watched with amusement as the scene unfolded and had to laugh when Zoro managed to break Tashigi's glasses. The crowd soon dispersed when the young lady started her lecture, and so Katarina wisely decided that this was the moment to approach them. The poor swordsman honestly didn't know what to do!

"Tashigi… you ok?" She asked.

"Oh, who are you?" The Sergeant Major couldn't recognize her without glasses. _Unbelievable! _On more than one occasion Katarina had considered if she should glue Tashigi's glasses to her head. She seemed to loose them all the time...

"It's me! Katarina! Jeez girl, who else but me has purple hair in Loguetown? You don't need glasses to determine colour… or have you recently gone colour-blind?" With Tashigi being who she was, it could actually be the case. "Ehe, I'm sorry Katarina-san! This man here broke my glasses, but don't worry, I'll make sure he makes up for it!" She said with a smile on her face. Katarina could only laugh mentally at her response! This was so like Tashigi, believing justice would always prevail.

Zoro stood there, rather awkwardly, waiting for what was coming next.

"Be nice to her!" Katarina whispered to him and said her goodbyes, leaving Zoro to face the wrath of the mop. In her mind, however, Katarina was already wondering how she could possibly join the Straw Hat crew_. __I hope Luffy has a thing for bubbles... _

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**AN: Well... What do you think? I think you're going to like how Katarina (me...) joins the crew. **

***Corporal: a ranking in the Marines. It's higher than a private, think two places up in the ranking list! ****Not really high but still, it's higher. **


	7. Chapter 7, Bubble Girl

**AN: Hi there! You have to forgive me for posting a chapter this slowly! I'm truly sorry. Though this excuse may have been used before, my computer completely betrayed me. Now, however, I finally have a new one (early brithday present from my dad, I begged). I could have borrowed my mother's laptop, but I'm not comfortable working with anything on another person's computer. Please feel free to correct any errors and comments are greatly appreciated as allways. Please read the AN at the end. **

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_The fact that Zoro just got dragged __away by Tashigi must mean that the rest of the crew are all doing their thing here in Loguetown until… well… Luffy almost gets killed! _Katarina was now facing a dilemma. The part of her that preferred safety wanted nothing more than to stay on this island and let the winds bring her friends back to her, but that was out of the question. She had little experience of how this world really worked and for all that she knew it could take years before she ever saw Eli and Miriam again. _I should've squeezed us all in the same barrel that time, at least then we wouldn't be separated… _

Unconsciously, Katarina's feet were leading her back to "The Blue Pegasus", she had to clear her thoughts and figure out what to do next. When rounding the corner close to her sanctuary she noticed a group of Marine soldiers arguing with Lubelle outside on the street which managed to draw some stares from the civilians nearby. An uneasy feeling started to grow inside her and her feet begged her to stop.

"What do you mean arrest her? I told you already, she isn't here and don't you dare lay a finger on that girl!" Lubelle was furious. The Corporal, a face that Katarina was familiar with tried to reason with the fuming transvestite. "The Captain has good reasons to believe that she was involved in the incident that occurred in North-Blue only weeks ago." He explained evenly, showing Lubelle the wanted poster.

_Oh shit… _Ever so slowly Katarina started to back away, fearing that any sudden movements would catch the attention of the Marine squad. She completely stopped moving when behind the corner once more, arguing with herself on what to do. _Run? Where? We're on an island! _Katarina was panicking! This wasn't how it was supposed to go!

"Corporal, I believe I just saw a shadow retreat behind the corner over there! It could be her!" a voice announced to his superior. At the sound of quickening footsteps, Katarina's feet started to run. To where she didn't know, the important thing was to get away! She cursed her wooden sandals for the noise they made for every step she took, and so she removed them, causing her to stumble before she continued to run. Running bare-feet wasn't the most comfortable thing she had experienced, but at the moment the adrenaline was kind enough and kept the pain away.

For what seemed to be hours, Katarina evaded the group of men in the many alleys of Loguetown. The narrow pathways created a maze throughout the whole city and provided her with a great opportunity to hide, though only temporarily. As the sounds of footsteps faded away, she allowed herself to slow down and catch her breath. Katarina pondered on what to do next and crouched down between a few dumpsters she sighted nearby. She couldn't help but let a feeling of hopelessness fill her when she thought about her situation. Trying to make herself as small and insignificant as possible, she brought her knees to her chest and rested her chin upon them. _Miriam… Eli… _

The girl didn't know how long she sat there, but when the sky turned dark and ominous she decided it was time to move.

A fierce and cold wind suddenly blew through the narrow alleys and nearly threw Katarina of her feet. _W-what the… does this mean that Dragon has appeared? _As if on cue, lightning was hurled down from the skies and struck in the middle of Loguetown! Following soon after was the rain, soaking her to the bone. Due to the overwhelming sight, Katarina didn't notice the presence closing up behind her. "Katarina-chan!" She was engulfed in a strong embrace and by the sound of the voice she immediately knew who it was.

"Lubelle!" She cried out and returned the hug desperately. How it warmed to see a familiar face when there was nothing but chaos around her. She was just about to speak, but her friend was faster. "Quick my dear, here are some of your things!" Lubelle hurriedly handed over a dark-brown, leather backpack. "You need to leave this city immediately! Go down to the harbour and get on a ship. You have no time to loose!" Katarina was now on the verge of tears. Lubelle had sought her out to give her the little she owned in this world, even though it meant putting his own livelihood in danger. There was no knowing what would happen to "The Blue Pegasus" after this incident. To Katarina's horror, the transvestite was already crying! Large, loud and salty sobs echoed through the maze and caused the make-up to smear all over his face. Luckily the loud noises were soon silenced by the rain.

Katarina hugged her friend one last time and whispered her gratitude before leaving for the harbour. When finally nearing the sea she was already out of breath and had to hunch over in order to prevent herself from collapsing. An unfortunate sight met her when she noted that the Going Merry had already set sail. _No! This can't be happening! I'm too late? _A large troupe of Marines lead by Smoker had gathered at the port, awaiting their leader's order. The wind was howling around them, completely in the Straw Hats favour and brought them further and further away from Loguetown. Despite the danger she was in, Katarina felt her knees give away underneath her. _What now? _

The next few seconds were nothing but a blur to her. Someone shouted her name and as if on instinct she created a bubble around her. The wind was still strong and it roughly blew her away from the port. Exhausted from the stress and fear she had felt earlier, the darkness that soon followed was warmly welcomed.

Later that day, far away from the dangers of Loguetown, a young navigator paced around on the deck of the Going Merry. After narrowly escaping the clutches of Captain Smoker the crew was now heading towards the Red Line, the one place that could lead them to the Grand Line and the greatest treasure of all. She deduced that within the next two hours they would see the Red Line on the horizon, waiting for them to try their luck. _If only things can go smoothly, even if just for a little while! _Nami thought to herself.

Her eyes instinctively turned up towards the sky. The clouds were still dark and heavy, with a clear promise of harsh waves and difficult currents ahead. Nami could only hope that this somewhat uncoordinated crew would actually make it to the Grand Line unharmed.

"Hey everybody! You have to look at this!" The leader of the Straw Hats hollered for their attention.

'Sigh…'

"What is it now Luffy?" Nami turned towards him to see what all the fuzzing was about. What met her eyes was something she never expected to see out here in the open ocean. It was a bubble. More specifically: it was a bubble floating next to their ship and there was an unconscious person inside. A head covered with purple, fuzzy hair could be seen and the rest of the stranger seemed to be curled up in a large, grey-hooded jacket. From the slight stature it was easy to see that the newcomer was a female.

The other crewmates were now present to behold the strange sight, unsure on what to do next.

"Cooool!" Luffy wheezed through his teeth and sniggered. "Let's wake her! I wanna try jumping on the bubble, it looks bouncy!"

Silence…

"Wait, Luffy!" Usopp was quick to act. "W-what if this is an enemy?" His words didn't even faze the smiling boy and soon Luffy was shouting for the stranger to wake up and re-join the world of the living.

"Ugh… wha… what the hell?" By the sudden sound of a new voice the captain halted his actions.

The sight was hazy at first, but when it adjusted Katarina found herself looking at the actual Monkey D. Luffy and his comrades. With a puzzled expression she had a quick look around before clutching her head as a wave of pain passed through. When her head cleared she finally realized where she was and the opportunity that was now presented to her.

"Ehehe…" She croaked out hastily. _What do I even say to these people? Oh pleaase love my weird pokémon powers you loony captain!_ She could feel both Nami and Zoro's scrutinizing gaze which made her stomach turn nervously. The blond cook, however, stood there with a look that greatly resembled the one Lubelle gave her the first time they met, a mixture of sympathy and curiousness. Considering Sanji had a soft spot for women, especially women in need, it was only natural. "Could I possibly-" Katarina didn't get a chance to finish her sentence before the eccentric captain interrupted her.

"YOU, bubble girl! Join my crew! Become my nakama!"

_Huh? _

'THWACK'

"LUFFY! Don't go making decisions on your own again!" Nami screeched with a furious look in her eyes.

"Sure, why not!" Katarina quickly shot in.

"What?" The crew, excluding Luffy, said in unison.

_It seriously can't be this easy? _

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**AN: Well, now she's officially in. Nothing flashy and grand, just a decision made by a very impulsive captain! Yey! I seriously believe it's this easy to join Luffy's crew. Just think about it... Luffy sees a person, in a bubble, floating in the middle of the sea. Now, that's fascinating! Oh and does anyone have a clue about the distance between Loguetown and Red Line. When watching the anime it only seems like a half-day travel (so I'm going with that). Additional note before I say bye: Katarina will not stand with them and declare her wish by the barrel considering they already did that hours before when escaping Loguetown. She will state her dream later though (as well as Eli and Mriam). Please note that I'll also be skipping the fillers! =)  
Many many many thanks to the people who added my story to their favorites and story alters! You have no idea how happy it makes me to know that people actually wants to read this story! In the next chapter we'll take a little peek at what Miriam and Eli is up to, hehe. **


	8. Chapter 8, Fire and Ice

**AN: I'm sorry for the late update. Strange how hard it is to produce just one sentence sometimes... Give me a virtual slap if you feel like it! Please tell me if there are any spelling mistakes, I greatly appreciate it. **

* * *

With a sigh, Katarina walked out of the kitchen. Luffy's rather impulsive decision on making her a part of the crew had caused quite a stir, but for now they would just have to deal with it. Apparently the fact that she was able to create pink, inflatable, bouncy, round and lovable bubbles was not a strong enough reason to include her in their happy, though slightly dysfunctional family. Nami did not like her, she could feel it. _We're going to be roommates. Oh joy! _Sanji, however, had been a gentleman and was gracious enough to fix her lovely meal that was greatly needed. She didn't believe Zoro and Usopp would be a problem.

The long-nosed sniper would probably just avoid her from time to time to begin with. Zoro hadn't really talked to her since she boarded the ship. The swordsman only followed her with a sharp stare, as if he was waiting for suspicious behavior. He probably remembered her interaction with Tashigi, a lieutenant for the Marines. _NOT that I mind, of course! Green haired samurai and his eyes… _

The sun was setting on the horizon, painting the sky a vivid mix of orange and red. She could not help but wonder what Eli and Miriam were doing at that moment. Katarina felt her throat tighten and tried to reassure herself with the thought that she would eventually find them. _I suppose we'll be nearing the Red Line tomorrow then… _

_~.~.~_

Somewhere, far from the Going Merry and the Straw Hats, there is an island covered with snow. This particular island had a name, Drum Island. The island featured a series of drum shaped mountains and was named after its peculiar geographical structure. On the highest mountain one could see the outlining of a grand building, a castle to be more precise. It was on this strange island and in this grand castle that a young woman named Eli now temporarily took residence.

In a small room filled with herbs and plants in various pots and boxes, Eli spent most her days in silence, tending her improvised garden. Lately she had found comfort in caring for things that grew and the feeling of fertile soil between her fingers. She could not help but to think of the day she came here. The lady of the house, who went by the name Kureha or Doctorine, was expecting a shipment of medicinal herbs that was impossible to grow on Drum Island because of its harsh climate. When she opened the barrel, however, she did not receive what she wanted.

There was a person in the barrel, a female, asleep. Considering that the girl was still alive and breathing, Dr. Kureha saw little use in her. She could not dissect her for medical research; neither could she simply harvest her organs. That would be considered… murder. After Eli was roughly awakened it took a while for her to explain herself to the Dr. who was growing more impatient and angry by the minute.

Grumbling, Eli grabbed the fertilizer from the shelf. _I still think it was unnecessary of her to throw daggers at me! _She sourly thought to herself.

Doctorine considered throwing her out at first, but when Eli responded by crying and suddenly growing a huge oak tree in the hallway, she looked at the girl with new interest. Dr. Kureha quickly deduced that Eli had eaten a Devil Fruit, one in which she could find great use. Ki ki no mi: the ability to grow anything from the 152 plant families. The only downside to it was that if Eli didn't have any knowledge of a certain plant she wouldn't be able to grow it. According to Dr. Kureha's theory she needed to copy the plant's genetic material through physical touch. Eli immediately liked her new found powers, and as repayment for food and shelter she offered to grow and replace the medicinal herbs she had dumped in the Kerberos harbor.

_I need to stay put, at least until I sort things out. If I know Katarina as well as I think I do she's already out there looking for Miriam and I. Considering Chopper is still here must mean that the Straw Hats haven't gotten too far yet. _Eli had already met the shy, small and very adorable reindeer. Sadly he was reluctant to speak with her, as he was with all strangers, but she was a patient person. She would just have to show him she meant no harm. Chopper seemed to approve of her ability to grow plants though. _ Hmm, good thing I can keep the herbs from withering in the cold. _She smiled as she caressed the Basel leaves of the Yarrow herb. How strange it was, to now feel so close to such a thing.

_~.~.~_

On another island, very different from Eli's snow covered sanctuary, the hot, warm deserts dominated the land. A small group of men wandered the dunes towards their destination, the Alabasta Rebellion camp. "The sun is vicious today!" exclaimed a man, whose face was covered to protect him from the hot winds of the desert. "Accept it my brother, it's not going anywhere!" a man to the right laughed and patted his shoulder.

Their journey had been long, and the group greatly looked forward to a well-earned rest and fresh water.

"Nakir, do you see that?" said a man at the front of the caravan.

The man with the name of Nakir turned to the direction where his comrade pointed. His skin was dark copper, and his eyes black. He could vaguely make out a small shape, a human shape.

"What the… it's a person!" Swiftly the group neared the unconscious person. It was a girl with strange clothing for one who dared roam the desert. "Water, now!" Nakir shouted. He crouched beside her and carefully gave her a sip of water. She swallowed the liquid, but remained unconscious.

"How did she manage to stray this far from a city?" wondered Amaron out loud, the man whose face was fully covered.

"She might have been with one of the trading caravans; their route is not far from here and goes further east…. There's hay in her hair…" Nakir said, to himself mostly. "Bring me a camel! We need to take her with us!"

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**AN: So there it is, Eli is on Drum Island while Miriam ended up in the middle of the desert in the Kingdom of Alabasta. Miriam will get more "screentime" soon. I just need to work out some details.**

My thanks to everyone who has subscribed to the story, added it to their favorites and/or commented! 


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